Gear adjustment mechanism



Aug. 2, 1960 H. A. LOZEAU ETAL 2,947,853

MINER'S LAMP STRUCTURE WITH PINION AND GEAR ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS WW 04.52 am 56 BY Qua/2.2 FIG-4 ATTORNEY Aug. 2, 1960 H. A. LOZEAU ET AL MINER'S LAMP STRUCTURE WITH PINION AND GEAR ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1958 FIG.6

FIG.9

INVENTORS a, zaw BY ff ATTO R N EY lVIlNER S LAIVIP STRUCTURE WITH PINION AND GEAR ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Homer A. Lozeau, Worcester, and Albert E. Mignone,

Wellesley, Mass., assignors, by direct and mesne assignments, to Koehler Manufacturing Company, Marlboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 745,963

4 Claims. (Cl. 24041.25)

This invention relates to an adjustable electric lamp structure and, more particularly, to a miners safety lamp An electrical conductor extends from the battery up-' 1 wardly to the headpiece.

Currently, miners electric cap lamps are equipped with a reflector and two bulbs or a two-filament bulb. In the two-filament bulb, one filament is located at or near the focal point of the reflector and the other filament is located a short distance away from the focal point. Either filament provides a satisfactory light pattern when used with a matte-finished reflector, but only the filament most nearly in focus provides a satisfactory light beam when used with a specular finished reflector of the class now employed most extensively in the art. More recent cap lamp models equipped with a two-filament bulb have included a focussing device, but it affected only the more central filament and cannot improve the light beam from the second filament which is off centre.

Thus, the tendency has been for the miner to use the same focussed filament everyday and to reserve the second unfocussed filament for temporary emergency use in event of bum-out of the correctly focussed filament.

The present invention is based on the novel concept of combining filament energization and beam focussing in one simplified turning adjustment. To accomplish this objective, we have devised a lamp and electrical switch arrangement wherein we provide means responsive to movement of the electrical switch for focussing a reflected beam of light from the lamp. The arrangement noted is well adapted for use in focussing a light beam from either a single filament lamp or multiple filament lamp, but is essentially suited for use with a lamp having two filaments. The several components referred to .are arranged in such relation to one another. as to provide for sequential operation of each filament of a two-filament lamp whereby each filament is used interchangeably. Selective focussing of light from either filament takes places as a part of each sequence operation.

We have found that these concepts of sequential operation may be practically embodied in one form in an adjusting lamp structure in which a special rotor switch device is combined in interlocking relationship with reflector positioning apparatus by a gear mechansm for moving the reflector positioning apparatus. These units are so designed and organized with respect to a bulb and reflector structure as to maintain a high standard of safety and durability, and each filament may be used in an alternating manner.

An important feature of the invention is the combination of a dual switching device which has a common States Fatent axis of rotation with a pinion gear which engages a manner such that by turning a rotary spindle element,

two independent electrical circuits may be alternately opened and closed through two separate filaments of a two-filament bulb. Concurrently with the switch control, there is accomplished a shifting of the reflector apparatus into focussing relationship with respect to first one and thenthe other of the two filaments as they become energized. This sequence of switching and focussing includes two off-positions at which neither filament is energized and, moreover, the sequence is well adapted to being repeated many times throughout the working life of the bulb.

The nature of the invention and its objects, as well as other novel features, will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment selected from purposes of illustration, and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the adjustable lamp structure of the invention for use with a miners cap or other supporting means, and further indicating a storage battery and electrical conductor of the class commonly carried by a miner in conjunction with a miners cap lamp;

Fig. 2 is a front'elevational view of the lamp structure with a portion removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a rotary spindle with switch blade and pinion gear engaging ring gear;

Fig. 5 is a view of the lamp structure with the bulb removedtherefrom;

Fig. 6 is a view taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of a cam follower and sleeve element;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the cam follower and sleeve element; 1

Fig. 9 is a view of cam follower taken approximately on the line 99 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating schematically an electrical circuit for the two bulb filaments.

Referring more in detail to the structure shown in the drawings, numeral 2 denotes a cup shaped lamp enclosure body which may preferably consist of plastic, such as Bakelite or other rigid material. As shown in Figs. 1-3, the enclosure body is recessed at one side to define a chamber 4 which is normally closed by means of a glass lens 6 adjustably secured in place by means of a threaded bezel 8.

An elect1ical conductor cord 10 is connected through one side of the enclosure 2 and at its opposite end is connected to a storage battery 12 of the type normally used with electric cap lamps. At the rear wall of the enclosure 2 (Fig. 1), is a clip element 14 for use in attaching the lamp structure to a supporting part of Figs. 2, 5 and 6, are electrically connected to two electrical switch contacts 28 and 30. The two bulb contacts 18a and 18b are resiliently supported against both of" the spring contact arms 20 and 22 so that two independ- 7 Patented Aug. 2, 19 0f cut sources of illumination are constantly provided, either of which may be separately energized at will.

Slidably disposed around the socket 16 is a tubular sleeve 36 which has secured at one end thereof, by means of threads 38, a reflector holder 40. A reflector 42 is detachably contained in the holder .on spring plungers 44 and 46 and is normally located in a focussing position with respect to one of the filaments of the lamp 13.

The tubular sleeve 36 at its opposite end is formed with radially projecting cam follower portions 48 and 50 which are located in a recessed area 52 of the member 2. The sleeve 36 is formed with an indent, as shown, to prevent turning.

In accordance with the invention, we provide a special ring gear 54 more clearly shown in Fig. 4 which is formed with beveled gear teeth at its upper side and which is further formed with a cam surface 56 adapted to engage against the cam followers 48 and 50. Ring gear 54 is rotatably maintained against the enclosure body 2 by means of an outer flange portion 58 over which extends retainer plates as 61 Fig. 3. A coiled spring '62 maintains the reflector holder 40 and its extension part 36 in an extended position maintaining the cam followers 48 and 50 against the cam surface 56 of ring gear 54-. When the ring gear is turned, the cam surface 56, passing over the cam followers 4-8 and 59, causes the reflector to move back and forth in order to focus either of the filaments 24 or 26.

A feature of the invention is to provide for rotative movement of the ring gear by means of a pinion gear 66 fixed on the end of a rotary spindle 68 which projects through the body portion 2 to support an operating knob 76. This spindle 63 constitutes a switch control and includes a spring contact arm 72 which is arranged to move in a circular path into and out of contact with a pair of arcuate electrical contacts 28 and 30. These two contacts, together with a common contact 73, are shown in one desirable switch arrangement in Figs. and 6 and a simple electrical wiring diagram for a typical operating circuit is shown in Fig. 10.

In operation, the spring contact arm 72 is moved from an off position by turning the knob 76 in either direction and a circuit is closed, for example, through the outer filament. Concurrently, the rotation of the spindle acts through the pinion gear and ring gear to force the reflector into a properly focussed position with respect to the outer filament.

When it is desired to interrupt the lamp operation, the knob is turned a short distance further until the arm 72 moves out of contact with the arcuate contact it has been engaging.

To again activate the light, a third rotative movement is carried out and the contact arm 72 moves into engagement with the remaining arcuate contact. Again, there is simultaneously produced a sliding movement of the reflector into desired focussing positions with respect to the second or inner filament.

Similarly, operation of the lamp from the second filament may be interrupted by still further rotative movement of the spindle in a clockwise direction until the contact arm I 2- moves away from its respective engaged arcuate contact part.

The operation of the electrical circuits for energizing and de-energizing the two filaments are believed to be obvious from an inspection of the schematic wiring diagram shown in Fig. 10.

it is pointed out that by means of the apparatus described, a single turning operation enables a miner to very conveniently turn on a light beam and focus it, and this step may he quickly carried out by hand while the lamp is supported on the head. Such an operation may, in the event there is a sudden'filament failure, be repeated to not only renew the light but to obtain the proper focussing with little interruption or loss of time in h case of such a failure.

An important advantage of the invention is the broad focussing adjustments possible since each filament permits a miner, within limits, to obtain the sharpness or spread of light beam which he finds most convenient for his work. This may vary with the type of work which a miner may be doing. For example, a miner operating from the back of a long mining machine would want as sharp a beam as possible so that it would penetrate through dust and spray. On the other hand, a man repairing a motor or doing close work underground might require a broader light pattern to minimize sharp gradations from darkness to brightness.

Another advantage of the invention is compensation for variation in the filament location which commonly occurs in the manufacture of bulbs. All bulbs, as manufactured, are not exactly uniform in the location of filament, and the invention compensates this by providing for a focus in a range of positions which will take care of any variations with a minimum of difiiculty.

Another advantage of the specific arrangement described is that instead of one filament being required to operate all of the time until failure, there will automatically occur an alternating type of operation since the rotor switch energizes first one and then the other filament. The net result of this may well be to realize longer operating life from a lamp before a bulb replacement operation is required. It will further be appreciated that the desirable two filament operation described is accomplished with both safety and durability being maintained.

The invention has been described in one preferred form in which a two filament rotor switch is combined with focus-sing position apparatus. It should be understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to in connection with this structural form of the invention and, similarly, we may desire to employ the combination rotor switch and focussing apparatus with various other filament arrangements, either of a single filament or a plurality of filaments in excess of the two illustrated.

The scope of the invention is to be understood as being defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. Miners lamp structure including a lamp enclosure body fixed therein, a lamp socket, a lamp detachably supported in the lamp socket, said lamp including independently energized filaments, electrical means for energizing said filaments, an electrical switch device including a rotatable spindle for selectively closing an electrical oi.- cuit through either of said filaments, a reflector member mounted around the lamp and having a tubular extension slidably supported externally of the lamp socket, a ring gear element rotatably disposed around the tubular extension, means for holding the ring gear in seated relationship on the lamp enclosure body, said ring gear having a cone portion formed around the side thereof, pinion gear means fixed to said rotatable spindle for engaging with and rotating said ring gear, cam follower portion arranged to engage with the cam surfaces of the ring gear and produce axial displacement of the reflector and its tubular extension and spring means for maintaining the cam follower against the cam surface.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which the electrical means includes a pair of opposed spaced-apart arcuate contact elements for selectively energizing said filaments during a focus adjusting movement of the reflector.

3. in a lamp construction, a lamp enclosure body, a lamp detachably supported in the enclosure body, a refiector axially adjustably received in said lamp enclosure body to focus light from the lamp, spring means normally urging said reflector in one direction, said lamp including spaced apart filament elements,electrical means for independently energizing each of said filament means, a'

rotary cam member for moving said reflector in the other direction, a rotary electrical switch mechanism for con trolling operation of the electrical means, and means interposed between said switch means and cam member for 5 actuating said cam member by said switch mechanism to selectively focus light from each of said filaments when the rotary switch is turned to energize a filament, and said means interposed between said switching means and cam member comprising inter-meshing ring and pinion gears.

4. In a lamp construction, a lamp enclosure body, a lamp detachably supported in the enclosure body, a reflector axially adjustably received in said lamp enclosure body to focus light from the lamp, spring means normally urging said reflector in one direction, said lamp including spaced apart filament elements, electrical means for independently energizing each of said filament means, a rotary cam member for moving said reflector in the other direction, a rotary electrical switch mechanism for controlling operation of the electrical means, and means interposed between said switch means and cam member for actuating said cam member by said switch mechanism to selectively focus light from each of said filaments when the rotary switch is turned to energize a filament, and said rotary cam means for moving the reflector by providing with a ring gear, and means interposed between the switch means and the rotary cam member comprising a spur gear driven by the switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

